Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-30

the might drill" That is they sent to their
| sleeping room upstairs, and had to descend from
that before choking up" This sudden descent Is
The men do not take the stairs to come down, as
they have not the time to spare. They have rapid
dfan ns Two orazen poles extend from the nsor
eleeping room. Around the poles in the floor Of
the sleeping room is an aperature Of ample dame
sonR ssa ons
slide In quick succession down these poles and
dart across the door, shooting down the pole and
moving away from 1t SO swiftly that one can
hardly distinguish that the forms are the forms Of
men until they come to standstiu beside the
engine or the hose carriage.
THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSES.
Beside the engine room and stalls for the horses
some Of the engine houses have sitting room on
the ground floor. There is court and probably a
store room. fuel room and forage room. In q
cellar below is small furnace and steam boiler
used to keep up steam in the engine when it Is
standing in the house. low pressure OF steam
is always kept on, so that an engine can be ready
runs from the ground door up to the level Of the
roof and sometimes higher. There are
gulleys to hoist lengths Of hose up to
placed In the wall. over these pegs the lengths
OF hose are hung, so that they drain out and dry.
one cylinder Of clean and dry hose. He has, how
ever as rule only one change OF hose so II he has
to go to several large fires within short time he
has to take his hose out wet.
THE SLEEPING ROOMS.
In the upper floor are the sleeping-roon and
sitting-room The sleeping-room is generally a
large and airy apartment occupying more than
half Of the whole space upstairs. A dozen cots,
with neat counterpaneS are placed about the
room; on the walls are hung pictures generally
representing scenes In the lie OF fireman. per-
haps some striking Incidents In the history Of the
"Darktown Fire Brigade" Everythingis neat and
orderly. There Is, besides, Sitttng-rOom,
billiard and pool table, presented to
the company by admiring friends or voted to it at
room with cot covered with snowy counter
pane. Chief Paris has a room at No. engine
house, where he remains at night. 1t, like the
Others, Is always as neat as wax. It's CHIEF Orna-
ment Is splendid silver trumpet standing on a
little center table Assistant Chier Lowe makes
his headquarters and sleeps at Truck house, on
New Hampshire avenue and NJ streets, and As
sistant CheI Belt makes his headquarters al Truck
house on North Capitol street.
THE NIGHT RIG.
Passing through the sleeping rooms one will see
occasionally standing on the floor beside cot
pair OF boots and pair of trousers, the boots
turned down SO that a man by pulling on the
boots at the same time pulls on his trousers. This
one OF the foremen explained to STAR reporter,
was the "night rig" Every main has at his COT
side boots and trousers thus arranged. In the
dormtory is large tre-alarm gong, and before the
the first stroke has ceased echoing, at night, every
is out OF bed, and into his boots. He pulls his
trousers on he scudS along to the pole. His coat
and nat he leaves on the engine at night, and he
finishes his hasty toilet as the horses dash out OF
the house. The speed with which a company gets
out upon the street at night, when all the men
except the walchman are AIDED and asleep, is
almost incredible. Before the first round on the
fire bells Is rung the company Is ready TO start.
The usual time Is nine or ten seconds Chief Paris
said the men generally made better time When
aroused from sleep to go to fire than when
giving an exhibition drill. TO one watching a
drill or Observing the action OF the men
a
noise gives impression or great confusion.
Horses charge at full speed across the floor; men
are darling In every direction. But there Is no
confusion, and in a rev seconds everything is
settled in its place. When an alarm is sounded
both the foreman and the engineer count the
strokes or stake the box" The foreman sings
out the number, and ii IL happens that The en-
CHEERS count differs from his he checks the fore
man, and they wait then until The second round is
rung TO make sure OF The box. Such expedition
is made, however, that when "ShOrt box" or
one having only u few strokes to sound, like box
II, is turned In that halt a minute after the first
stroke Is sounded an engine company will be Two
or three squares from It's house, dashing onward
towards the IRE.
THE MEN.
To secure promptness at moments Of emergency
the men are frequently drilled, and, OF course
kept under discipline constantly. An applicant
for appointment has to pass an examination by
board OF surgeons and be found to be sound OF
limb and body. He must be at least feet
inches In height, and weigh at least $50 pounds.
Alter he has gone through the surgeons eXamiaa-
ton the Chief talks TO MIN, loOnS him over, and
endeavOrs to get an idea OF the mans general in
telligence and aptitude. II he recommends the
man for appointment, and the commissioners
approve the recommendation, the man is APP
pointed for probationary term OF six months
He Is then sent to an engine house and Instructed
In his duties by the foreman II at the end OF six
months trial his foreman reports favOrably, the
man receives a permanent appointment. This
probationary appointment has the effect OF max
Ing the new men Jealous In learning all they can
ABOUT their duties. II he violates any rules of the
department, Is Intoxicated, neglects his duty, or
displays cOwardice at a fire, charges are preferred
against him and he is tried Dy board composed
Paris says he is seldom deceived In selecting
men for appointment. He preIers he says, men
used TO hard work. and would like 10 get mecnan-
les VINO have good ideas OF the construction OF
buildings, but rule good mechanics will not
leave their trades to join the department..
THE HORSES
are selected with almost as much care as the men.
Strength SOundneSS and intelligence are required.
The horses have to drag heavy loads-from 5000
to 5000 pounds-at good rate Of speed When
new horse is purchased he is generally put into a
stall beside an old and welI-trained horse. At
first, on the sounding or an alarm, man, detailed
for the purpose takes the horse by the halter and
ruShes down TO his place. The animal soon learns
his place and becomes as eager AS his mate to get
to it, The men become very much attached to
their horses, and the horses themselves become
very much attached to each other. When horse
Is taken from an engine-houSe his mate Is often
uncOnsOlabe, and shows his grief over the Sepa-
ration IN many ways.